{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,15]],"date-time":"2026-01-15T20:24:47Z","timestamp":1768508687991,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":52,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,13]],"date-time":"2026-01-13T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1768262400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100004482","name":"Kuwait University","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["DD 01\/19"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["DD 01\/19"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100004482","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Dentistry Journal"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Non-syndromic cleft lip\/palate (NCL\/P) is a prevalent congenital anomaly. Despite an unclear epidemiological link between orofacial clefts and dental caries, genetic studies suggest that polymorphisms in taste receptor genes may influence caries risk. Objectives: This study had two primary objectives: (1) to compare SNPs in NCL\/P-associated genes (IRF6, FOXE1) between Kuwaiti NCL\/P cases and controls, and (2) to explore whether variants in caries-associated (KLK4, DSPP) and taste receptor (TAS1R2, TAS2R38) genes are associated with dental caries susceptibility in individuals with NCL\/P, independent of overall caries prevalence. Methods: A case\u2013control design was employed, with 25 NCL\/P cases and 25 unaffected controls recruited from a Dental Craniofacial Clinic in Kuwait. Genomic DNA was extracted from buccal swabs, and SNP genotyping was performed using real-time PCR for genes related to NCL\/P, dental caries, and taste perception. Caries status was assessed using the dmft\/DMFT scoring system. The genotyped genes included NCL\/P-related (IRF6, FOXE1), caries-related (KLK4, DSPP), and taste receptor genes (TAS1R2, TAS2R38). Results: At nominal significance, KLK4, DSPP, and TAS1R2 showed associations with NCL\/P status, while IRF6 and FOXE1 did not. After applying Benjamini\u2013Hochberg FDR correction across 10 SNPs, no allele- or genotype-level association remained significant (q &lt; 0.05). The strongest signal was KLK4 rs2235091 (allele-level p = 0.016; q = 0.159). An exploratory age- and sex-adjusted logistic model for KLK4 suggested a possible effect (aOR 0.40; 95% CI 0.18\u20130.87; p = 0.021). Within-group analyses of caries burden revealed no associations that survived FDR control (lowest q = 0.056 for FOXE1 in controls). Conclusions: After controlling for multiple testing, no SNP showed a statistically significant association with NCL\/P or caries burden. Nominal signals for KLK4, DSPP, and TAS1R2 did not survive FDR correction; an exploratory adjusted model suggested a possible KLK4 effect, but this requires cautious interpretation. The small sample size is a key limitation, and the findings highlight the need for larger, well-powered studies to clarify genetic contributions to NCL\/P and caries risk.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/dj14010054","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,13]],"date-time":"2026-01-13T15:52:57Z","timestamp":1768319577000},"page":"54","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Genetic Associations with Non-Syndromic Cleft Lip\/Palate and Dental Caries in Kuwaiti Patients: A Case\u2013Control Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5958-6497","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Manal Abu","family":"Al-Melh","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Developmental and Preventive Sciences, College of Dentistry, Kuwait University, Jabriya 13110, Kuwait"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8221-3189","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Fawzi M.","family":"Al-Qatami","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Kuwait Board of Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics, Kuwait Institute for Medical Specializations, Kuwait City 12050, Kuwait"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8927-6617","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maribasappa","family":"Karched","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Bioclinical Sciences, College of Dentistry, Kuwait University, Jabriya 13110, Kuwait"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2800-0307","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Muawia A.","family":"Qudeimat","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Developmental and Preventive Sciences, College of Dentistry, Kuwait University, Jabriya 13110, Kuwait"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,13]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"227","article-title":"Face facts: Genes, environment, and clefts","volume":"57","author":"Murray","year":"1995","journal-title":"Am. 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